Tag Archives: eddie colla

Art Murmur is cool. And it’s tonight.

Here are some shots from my last Art Murmur back in March.   Yes, March.  I know.  I’m lame.

In any case, this weekend is a big one for ART.  Art Murmur, East Bay Open Studios, the Temescal Art Hop and more…  Maybe I can redeem myself by cramming!  And actually tending to this blog for a bit.

Who’s in?
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We came upon this gorgeous mural somewhere on 26th street. I think we were next to Uptown Body & Fender, or maybe this was part of Uptown Body & Fender… I’m not quite sure. But there was this incredible mural, which looks to me like a collaborative effort. I recognize the work of thomas christopher haag (I have shots of some of his other murals I’ve yet to post). I love his fantastical creatures and use of geometric building blocks that remind me of Chuck Close crossed with Piet Mondrian. Or something like that.


I love the diá de los muertos skull above, and the incredible four-eyed face below. I’m too square to read the tags on the mural, so if anyone knows who else contributed to this, please send some info…

oakland mural, thomas christopher haag, uptown mural
oakland mural, thomas christopher haag, uptown mural
Then of course there were the fancy cars…
vintage cars, uptown body & fender
vintage cars, uptown body & fender
And a nice Eddie Colla piece I hadn’t seen before.
eddie colla, like a sieve, vintage car, little red corvette
And lastly, the preamble from the Declaration of Independence, which begins, “We hold these truths to be self-evident…”
declaration of independence, preamble, right to revolution, despotism, we hold these truths to be self evident
And ends with “it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Deep.

If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.

Well it was a big night of “openings” this past Saturday and our first stop was the new 5733 Retail Clothing Store & Gallery on Piedmont Ave (this before heading to the Oakland Museum Opening party, but more on that tomorrow…)

5733 clothing, 5733 opening party, 5733 store on piedmont

We weren’t sure exactly where the store was, but as we approached the correct block, the bumpin’ beats led us straight to the party. Tucked into an alcove off the main avenue, and up a flight of stairs, folks might know this location from the next door neighbor Chez Simone, who serves up delectable french cuisine as though you’re a guest in her own home.

5733, 5733 clothing store, 5733 grand opening

Despite the early hour, the party was already in full swing… the place packed and thronged with photographers. It was anything you could do not to get smacked in the face by a huge zoom lens. Others twittered away on their blackberries… and of course, people shopped. A steady buzz broadcast from the direction of the cash register, and with all goods produced locally & sustainably AND marked 25% off, the temptation was hard to resist. What can I say? I love my new hoodie!

5733 t-shirts, 5733 tshirts, 5733 artwork

Above, a display of some of artist Eddie Colla’s T-shirt designs… the far right was particularly memorable, titled X’s. Stitched onto the shirt were various fabric reproductions of polaroid snaps of gorgeous lingerie-clad girls in compromising positions… handwritten notes were scrawled on each one, like “Jiao – Bad English, but we were both fluent in Smirnoff.”

5733 gallery, eddie colla gallery, 5733 retail store

The murals above and below were my favorites… especially the “If you want to achieve greatness….” piece, from which I titled this post. It’s a bold sentiment embraced whole-heartedly by artist and founder Eddie Colla. As a street artist whose works are more typically found on abandoned buildings and back alleyways, the whole point is to create without authorization.

“There is a visual conversation that takes place on the streets of urban environments. This conversation is dominated primarily by advertising and utilitarian signage and assumes  passive participation. Whether invited or not I am going to participate in this conversation. Public spaces were never intended to be coated from top to bottom with photos of consumer products. These spaces should, in some manner, reflect the culture that thrives in that space.”

Hence, the concealed identity through use of bandanas… I love how this is mimicked in other pieces through the use of asian characters wearing masks (but for entirely different reasons).

5733 opening party, 5733 gallery opening, art by eddie colla

Don’t fret if you missed the opening party… After the success of this one, they’re sure to have plenty of future events. You can visit the store at 4125 Piedmont Ave, Oakland.

CougarHorse & 5733 – piedmont ave’s cool factor soars

A couple additions to Piedmont Avenue have me thinking that this little stretch of Oaktown has gotten way cooler…

The first is the funky little vintage & artisan clothing store CougarHorse. The name alone gives insight into what you can expect to find here… items that are interesting, beautiful, and even hilarious.

cougarhorse piedmont ave, cougar horse oakland

A tiny storefront, barely visible from street (I only noticed it because it’s close to the cemetery I like to walk in), makes way to a tiny shop consisting of three even tinier rooms. Despite its limited size, however, a ton of style is packed in by its owners – brother sister duo Dana & Reed. Oakland natives, in fact their family goes back 4 generations in Oaktown, it seemed the logical place to set up shop.

trucker caps, cougarhorse oakland

Brother Reed is the artist in the family… self-taught, he finds his inspiration in the daily experiences he takes in. All the designs are his and there’s a collection of custom hand-dyed and screen-printed T’s prominently displayed amidst all the other eclectic offerings… vintage shoes and scarves, interesting accessories, wonderful jewelry (both new and old), and a crazy cool record collection, all at really reasonable prices.

cougarhorse oakland, cougarhorse vintage

Everything is displayed in creative and artful ways… items pour out of old suitcases… or drape from ladders… or are framed by funky cowboy paintings. It’s like a supercool garage sale where every single thing is a real treasure.

hipster clothing, plaid shirts, cougarhorse oakland

I asked how they source their vintage finds… Here’s what they had to say:

The vintage pieces are a labor of love. We really enjoy the hunt – taking a day and driving to out of the way places in search of treasures is fantastic. Saturday morning estate sales are tons of fun too. Honestly, we do not have the time to be fully in the vintage game, like the ladies at Mercy Vintage (also on Piedmont Avenue)… they are fantastic curators. The artwork and vintage is just another small piece of what is inspiring to us and something we want to share with others.

Guess I’ll have to do another post on Mercy Vintage!

vintage clothing oakland, custom T's oakland, cougarhorse oakland

Next up is 5733… You know ’em right? Street artist Eddie Colla‘s clothing company – they make just about the coolest T-shirts around. And they’re made right here in Oaktown with eco-ink, no sweatshop labor, and a tag-line you gotta love… “We hope our clothing makes you look good, feel good, get laid… Whatever makes you happy.”

5733 is opening a new retail store and gallery space on Piedmont Ave and the Grand Opening is this Saturday May 1st.  Here’s their plug…

To celebrate our new opening, and as a way to say thanks to all of our supporters, 5733 will be giving away a brand-new, event-exclusive colorway of a new t-shirt in addition to various prints, posters, and stickers to the first fifty guests, additionally, all apparel will be marked down 25% for our grand opening.

Hear that? First fifty guests get a FREE t-shirt. Better get there early!

5733 Apparel and Art – Grand Opening
May 1st – International Worker’s Day
4125 Piedmont Ave, Oakland CA.
Store opens at noon, party begins at 7PM.
Beats by Tibbs and Lankston
Food and drink compliments of Chez Simone and friends

5733 gallery, 5733 clothing store, 5733 retail opening

photo courtesy of 5733